The Huffington Post is under fire for an article, "Amy Winehouse's Untimely Death Is a Wake Up Call for Small Business Owners."  According to blogger Tricia Fox, the 27-year-old British singer's death offers business lessons:

"For small business owners there is, however, a lot to be learned from Amy's untimely death.

"Although rarely referred to as such, most musical artists and celebrities are businesses in their own right. In fact, for all those detractors out there that say that being 'self-employed' is not a 'proper' business, think again. This successful business model is one that has been proven time and time again.

"But whether you are a pop star, a plumber or a business consultant, the same rules still apply: you are the product. And if that's the case, you are going to need to take really good care for yourself if you want your business to succeed."

Critics found little in common between Winehouse's death and running a small business and accused Fox of using the pop star's death for personal gain. Fox responded to criticism partly by citing cultural differences between the U.K. and the U.S.:

"For those of you who have been offended by my use of Amy Winehouse as an example, please accept my sincere apologies. Offence was never my intent. . . . Response to this blog in the U.K. has been positive. Response from the USA has been negative. I'm not sure why different nationalities have recieved [sic] the blog differently."

Discussion Starters:

• What is your reaction to the blogger's article? Do you agree with the criticism?
• Do you buy Fox's explanation of cultural differences? Why or why not?
• How could Fox have responded differently to the criticism?